Cristiano Ronaldo wins the 2013 Ballon d’Or award

The Portuguese international won the award ahead of Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery.

Emotional

The 28-year-old was emotional when he received the award.

On receiving the award he said: “I have no words to describe this moment. Thanks to all of my team-mates at Real Madrid and the national team.

“Without all of their efforts this would not have been possible. I am very happy, it is very difficult to win this award.

“Everybody that has been involved with me on a personal level I have to thank. My partner, my friends, my son. It is a tremendously emotional moment.”

Perceptions

The fact that he mentioned other people after receiving the award showed how much he has matured as a person in the past couple of years. He has previously been perceived as slightly arrogant.

However, the fact that he gave his teammates praise in his acceptance speech shows that he is not the person that the media like to make him out to be. Ronaldo often gets painted as a bad guy, but perceptions of Ronaldo are now steadily changing.

Phenomenal

Love him or hate him Cristiano Ronaldo is simply a phenomenal footballer. He is the closest thing to a complete player that there is in modern football. Ronaldo has every attribute you would want in a footballer. He can use both feet, can head a ball and has pace in abundance.

He also has one of the most impressive physiques in a footballer you are ever likely to see. It is hard to argue with his Ballon d’Or victory, even Lionel Messi fans would find it to argue with that.

Goals

During 2013 Ronaldo scored an incredible 69 goals in just 59 appearances. The former-Manchester United star also helped his country to the World Cup finals, by scoring four goals in Portugal’s 4-2 play-off against Sweden.

His goals almost single-handedly got Portugal through that clash and to Brazil 2014. No doubt teams will fear Portugal at the World Cup, just because they have Ronaldo in their team.

Rivalry

The rivalry between Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona counterpart Messi was always going to be there. They are without doubt the two best players in the world and they also play for rival teams, who just happen to be two of the biggest in European football.

On his rivalry with Messi, Ronaldo said: “I have a very professional relationship with Messi, he’s a player I admire”.

While Messi had this to say: “I want to congratulate Cristiano because he was the winner and deservedly so.

“I think it was a good year for the three of us and that’s why we were there. I have nothing to complain about or make any excuses.”

It is good to hear that two such high-profile football rivals have such a healthy respect for each other and can acknowledged the others undoubtable ability.

Best

As every season goes by Cristiano Ronaldo is making a better case for being one of the greatest ever players. Ronaldo’s ability has often been overshadowed by the majestic Messi. Had he played in another generation he would have been far more highly-rated.

Ronaldo has suffered for the presence of Messi, but now surely he has to be considered alongside the little Argentinian as one of the best footballers to have ever grace a football pitch. It would be unfair To Ronaldo for him not to be.

The debate about whether Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo is the world’s best player will rage on, probably for sometime to come. It is hard to decide who the better player is, but there is no doubt in my mind that Ronaldo was the best player in 2013 and thoroughly deserved the 2013 Ballon d’Or.